This invention relates to an electrical switch of the kind wherein an operating lever of the switch is movable relative to the fixed body of the switch, in whole or in part, in different modes to operate contacts of the switch.
There are many known forms of electrical switch of the kind specified above, for example, there are those shown in British Pat. Nos. 1318882 and 1411784. In the arrangement shown in British Pat. No. 1318882 the operating lever is movable bodily in two different modes, namely two mutually perpendicular planes, and in addition part of the operating lever is movable in a third mode, namely in the direction of the length of the operating lever. However, each of the three modes of movement of the operating lever or part thereof controls a separate set of electrical contacts and thus in effect three separate electrical switches are combined by having a common body and common operating member. Such an arrangement is costly in terms of numbers of components and manufacturing steps, and furthermore is restrictive in the degree of complexity of functions which can be achieved within a given spatial envelope.
In British Pat. No. 1411784 the component utilisation has been minimised since both modes of movement of the operating lever operate exactly the same electrical contacts. Clearly however the complexity of function is reduced to a minimum also since the operating lever controls exactly the same electrical circuits irrespective of its mode of movement.